Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-05
NO ISSUE.

There has not probably been a Regis
trar appointed by the Commission who
is not a member of the Loyal League.
Not perhaps that the Commission made
il a point to select them from that body,
but the members chose no one whose
soundness upon the local issue was not
bevond question, and nearly every man
in the Territory of that class, who resides
in the vicinity of an established League
is, a member of that organization. 1t is
a safe bet that at least nine-tenths OF the
Registrars already appointed, or who
may be appointed in the place of those
removed, will be members of the League.
This being a fact, the absurdity
of Mormon morning papers claim
that the League has been
knocked out' by the Commission is as
absurd as it is false. The Commission
has not sought nor made any issue with
the League. A committee was appointed
weeks before the Commission issued
their circular suggesting the form of oath
to be adopted. The committee, how
ever, failed to do anything in the matter
until after the circular was issued, and it
is certainly unfair to attach the blame oil
the committees delay to the Commission.
Had the committee acted with the
promptness which was expected by the
power which authorized its action, il
would have been courteously received
its suggestions considered, and, in all
probability, some Of them adopted.
While the Commission does not
claim the power to dictate
the action of the Registrars in
the oath matter, it has the
appointment of those officers, and it is
but natural that it should exercise that
power in such a manner as to secure as
much uniformity as possible in the oath
throughout the Territory, and to appoint
such men as would act in accordance
with its suggestions. The fact that the
law gives the appointment of the Regis.
trars to the Commission and to outline
their actions by such suggestions as
1T may deem proper, is a recognition
of its authority to exercise the ap-
pointing power SO as to secure the
adoption of its views in the performance
OF the duties of its appointees. 1t is al
most certain that the present trouble or
dissatisfaction would never have arisen il
the Committee had interviewed the Com
mission prior to the issuance of
its circular containing the form OF oath
and the recommendation of its adoption.
While THE DEMOCRAT would not defend
the Commission in any act which, in the
least degree, savored of disposition to
ignore the right of the representatives of
the loyal people of Utah to consult with
the members in regard to any question of
Importance to the law-abiding people of
the Territory, we cannot join in the abuse
which has been heaped upon it from a
certain quarter, when the blame, if there
be any, should be attached to those who
were entrusted with duty, the perform
ance of which was delayed until after the
time had passed when it could be effectu-
ally performed. While we can well
understand why the Mormon papers
should endeavor to fan the flame of dissen-
ton, by the false representation that
the Commission has the desire to ''knock
out' the Loyal League, or that the action
of the former indicates unfriendliness
to the latter, we cannot comprehend the
policy of presumed loyal journal pur-
suing a similar course. There is no
issue, nor should any friend of the loyal
cause endeavor to create the false i'm
preston that there is one-or that any
cause for dissention exists.